Case-covering machine.



W. P. DEVINE.

CASE COVERlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.&.19\3.

1,176,? 1 O. Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR l .W WILLIAM F DEVINE emjs 60W By H1 H1 5 WWWATTORNEYS THE COLUMBIA PLANCIGRAPH .60., WASHINGTON, o. c

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM: P. DEVINE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICANOPTICAL COMPANY, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSAC SETTS.

HUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF I /IASSACHU- CASE-COVERING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed February 1, 1913. Serial No. 745,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM I. Dnvrnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Case-CoveringMachines, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in case covering machines andrefers particularly to that form of machine illustrated in the patentdrawings of my Patent No. 1,0193% granted January 7 1913.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision, in amachine of this character, of improved means for wiping over he edgeportions of the covering material employed, which wipers shall alsoserve as detents to retain the case in position on the die of themachine until the covering material has been satisfactorily securedthereto.

A further object of my invention is the provision in conjunction with aresiliently upported die block as illustrated, of improved means forautomatically locking the same in depressed position when desired andalso of means for controlling the rise of the die.

Other objects and advantages of my invention should be readily apparentby reference to the accompanying drawings taken in connection with thefollowing specification and it will be understood that I may make anymodification in the specific details and construction shown anddescribed within the scope of the appended claims without departing fromor exceeding the spirit of my invention.

Figure I represents a side elevation of a machine constructed inaccordance with and embodying my invention. Fig. II represents asectional view on the line IIII of Fig. I, and Fig. III represents aview partially in section at right angles to Fig. II.

In the drawings, in which similar characters of reference are employedthroughout to denote corresponding parts, the numeral 1 designates thebase of my machine having rising therefrom the standard 2 which slidablysupports and guides the plunger member 3, which may be actuated by anysuitable mechanism, the particular form of actuating mechanism showncomprising the toggles 4, controlling lever 5 and returning spring 6,but any other well known means may be employed to impart reciprocatingmotion to the plunger 3. Disposed directly beneath the plunger is thedie base 7 having the central recess 8 in which is slidably supportedthe die block 9 shaped to fit the curvature of the article to becovered, said die block resting upon the springs 10 which resilientlysupport the same and having depending thercfrom the threaded lug 11 onwhich is adjustably mounted the washer 12 and nut 13, said washer beingadapted to bear against a portion of the base 1 and adjustment of thenut controlling the height to which the die 9 may be raised by action ofthe springs 10.

To automatically lock the die in depressed position as the same isforced downward by the action of the plunger I have employed theslidably mounted rod 1 L which has a reduced portion 15 normally engagedin the passage 16 of the die block, a spring 17 tend ing tolongitudinally shift the locking bar to force the enlarged portionthereof into the passage 16 whereby the die will be held in depressedposition, as should be readily understood by reference to the drawings.A releasing lever 18 is pivoted to the slide bar 1 1 and has a handleportion on one end, the other end being adapted to engage the base 1whereby rocking of said lever will withdraw the enlarged portion fromthe passage and thus release the die.

Slidably mounted on the upper face of the block '7 are the wipers 19which may be actuated by any desired mechanism, but are so mounted as toproject but slightly over the edge of the aperture or passage 8 in theblock 7.

In the operation of my machine the covering material is coated with asuitable adhesive and placed adhesive face upward on the die 9. Thearticle to be covered is then mounted on the lower end of the plunger 3where it may be held in any suitable manner, 1

as by the hooks 20, or else laid on the cover ing material. Depressionof the plunger will then force the article to be covered tightly againstthe covering material and thus cause the material to adhere thereto.

I have shown and described my machine as employed in covering eyeglasscases although it will, of course, be understood that it may be used forany kindred purpose. In covering eyeglass cases or the like it is cusanddesirable that a portion be in ned and secured to the inside of thecase, t is for this purpose that my wipers 19 are employed. The plungerbeing depressed and securely holding the die and article to covered indepressed position, I shift my wipe l9 inr-Jard, these wipers being so uproject over the edge of covered without engaging With the wipers inthis po on the plunger 3 is th 1 raised out of engagement with the ar lebeing covered. is the plunger so raised the case or aricle being coveredbrought into contact the wipers which engage the edge of and hold thesame downward, pulla: 'ay from the hooks 20 which are so u ed as toreadily release the said an mounted to jus nclo bein At the same timethat the wipers loosen n arti le from the plunger they engage theupstan' ding covering material around the f the rticlc and crimp thesame inthe plunger is again deit will pass just within the spaceincloset by the wipers and will bear upon said in 'ardly crnnpcdcovering material to sey press said material against the inside of thearticle to cause it to adhere thereto. The plunger having performed thisfunction is again r ised and the covering operation is completed, thehandle 18 being shifted to release the die and the wipers beingWithdrawn to permit the removal of the article.

If desired and to insure best folding in of the edges of the coveringmaterial after the plunger has been raised and with the wipers 19 inoperative position I may shift the handle 18 to move the locking bar 14and permit the die 9 to rise, when the springs 10 will force thecovering material at the edge of the case tightly against the wipers andin sure a satisfactory folding down of the material at this point. Theplunger 3 being again depressed then serves to tightly fold and pressthe turned in material against the upper face of the article to becovered.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings the construction and operation of my improved article coveringmachine should be readily apparent and it will be seen that I haveprovided a simple, efficient and satisfactory machine which embodies asingle reciprocating plunger serving to first press the article againstthe covering material and then to afterward press the edges of thecovering material against the interior of the article, the wiper servingto bend inward the edges of said material and also to prevent upwardmovement of the article with the plunger.

1 claim:

1. A machine for covering eyeglass cases comprising a yieldable die onwhich the covering material is supported, a one-piece plunger forcooperation with said die, said plunger being adapted to clamp thearticle to be covered into engagement with the covering material, andmeans arranged to lie within the path of movement of the article to becovered when the plunger is in a lowered position to limit upwardmovement of the article when the plunger is raised for turning in themarginal edges of the cover ing, said plunger being of a size to extendover the inturned edges of the covering to fold down said edges andpress them against the upper face of the article being covered.

2. A machine for covering eyeglass cases comprising a yieldable die overwhich the covering material is arranged, a one-piece plunger forcotiperation with said die, a locking bar for securing the die indepressed position when engaged by the plunger, said plunger being of asize to extend over the inturned edges of the covering, and means forcooperation with the yieldable die for turning in the marginal edges ofthe covering, said means being arranged to lie within the path ofmovement of the article when the die is rising after having beenreleased by the locking bar.

3. A machine for covering eyeglass cases comprising a yieldable die onwhich the covering material is supported, a one-piece plunger forcooperation with said die, said plunger being of a size to extend overthe in turned edges of the covering material, means arranged to liewithin the path of movement of the article when the plunger is in alowered position to limit upward movement of the article when theplunger is raised, and means to lock said die against movement uponraising of said plunger, the plunger being adapted to be a second timedepressed to press the inturned edges of the covering material againstthe upper face of the article to be covered, to secure said edges inposition, substantially as described.

4. A machine for covering eyeglass cases comprising a yieldable die onwhich the covering material is supported, a one-piece plunger forcooperation with said die, said plunger being adapted to clamp thearticle to be covered into engagement with the covering material, meansarranged to lie within the path of movement of the article when theplunger is in a lowered position to limit upward movement of the articlewhen the plunger is raised, means to lock said die against movement uponraising of the plunger, and means whereby the die may be released afterthe plunger has been raised.

5. In a case covering machine, the combination with a movable die and aplunger, said plunger adapted to support the article to be covered, ofmeans arranged to lie within the path of movement of the article to becovered, and outside the path of movement of the plunger for releasingthe article from the plunger and turning in the marginal edges of thecovering, said means being adapted to limit upward movement of thearticle, said plunger being of a size to overlap the said inturned edgesof the covering and being adapted to be a second time depressed to presssaid inturned edges against the exposed face of the article to becovered.

6. In a case covering machine, the combi nation with a yieldabledepressible die adapted to receive the work, of a plunger forcooperation therewith, means for automatically locking the die indepressed position when actuated by the plunger, means for engaging thearticle to be covered to limit the upward movement of the article anddie when the locking means are released, and adjustable means forvarying the upward limit of movement of the die.

7. In a case covering machine, the combination with a yieldable die anda plunger for depressing the die, of Wipers adapted to engage thearticle to be covered When on the die to limit the upward movement ofthe die and article, and adjustable means for controlling the movementof the die and article to be covered in the direction of the wipers.

8. In a case covering machine, the combination with a base and a diemounted there in, of yieldable means for forcing the die upward, aplunger for depressing the die and article to be covered, wipers on thebase adapted to be projected in the way of the article to be covered,and adjustable means for limiting the pressure of the die on the articleto be covered in the direction of the wipers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WM. P. DEVINE. Witnesses \VM. P. DEVINE, Jr., THOMAS LONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

